Dewaxing oil



" May Z5"-, 1937. B. 'G. ALDRIDGE DEWAXING OIL Original Filed July 25 1933 VINVEINTOR. .Blazr @Alarzdge BY I ATTORNEY.-

- in this process both as Patented May 25 1937 UNITED STATES nnwnmc om Blair G. Aldridge, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Union on Company or California, Los Angeles, Calla, a corporation or California Original application July 25, 1933, Serial No. 682,073. Divided and this application Decemher-21, 1934, Serial No. 758,632

10 Claims.

are employed as a diluent for the oil and as a refrigerating medium. The present application is a division of Patent 1,988,768 issued January 22, 1935.

Recently a method has been developed for the separation of wax from the oil to be treated by the use of liquefied normallygaseous hydrocarbons, such as liquefied ethane, propane, bu- 15 tane, ethers, light chlorinatedhydrocarbons, or mixtures thereof, both as diluents for the oil and as refrigerants for the mixture. The above described normally gaseous hydrocarbons, employed as diluents and refrigerants, aresubjected to a pressure sufiicient to liquefy them and to maintain them at normal temperatures in the liquid state. According to the method developed previously, the waxy oil is dissolved in one or more-of the above mentioned normally gaseous hydrocarbons, said mixture being approximately in the proportion of about one part of the waxy oil to from three to five parts of the diluent, depending on the character of the oil being treated. After dissolving the waxy oil in the normally gaseous diluent maintained under a pressure suflicient to keep it in a liquid state under ordinary temperatures, the solution of oil and diluent is chilled by vaporizing a portion of the liquefied normally gaseous hydrocarbons used as the diluent. The chilling is carried down to temperatures sufilcient to precipitate the wax irom the oil, these temperatures ranging from +10 F. to 40 F. depending upon the character of the oil to be dewaxed, the ratio or proportion 40 of waxy oil to diluent and the quantity of wax present in the 011 being treated. After the chilling of the diluted oil by vaporization of a portion of the diluent to a suitable temperature, the

chilled mass or mixture, consisting of oil, diluent 5 and precipitated wax, is conveyed to some me-I,

chanical or'other means, such as filters, centrifuges or settling chambers, for separating the thus precipitated wax from the oil and diluent. After, the separation of the wax from the diluted mixture by one of the above means, the diluted and dewaxed oil is then distilled to separate from the thus dewaxed oil the remaining portion of the liquefied normally gaseous hydrocarbons used a diluent and as a re,-

{i5 frigerant. v

In the usual application of the above process the mixtureof waxy oil and of liquefied normally gaseous hydrocarbons are conveyed under pressure into chilling towers wherein the mixture is cooled by a regulated reduction of pressure in 5 the towers. The pressure reduction causes a vaporization of a portion of the liquefied diluent, this vaporization in turn causing a chilling of the oil mixture and a resultant precipitation of the wax dissolved therein. However, it has been found that such aprocedure is accompanied by certain disadvantages. Thus, in view of the fact that the towers used for the chilling step are usually comparatively tall, since the cross-sectional area of these towers is comparatively small, and since the vapor lines, used in conjunction with these towers for lowering the pressures therein, lead substantially from the upper ends thereof, the vaporization of the normally gaseous hydrocarbons used as a diluent and refrigerant is unequal in the different parts of the tower. As isobvious, the vaporization of the diluentrefrigerant is mostly near the surface of the mixture. Such an unequal chilling of the diluted oil has a tendency to produce bumping" or sudden flashing of the oil. This flashing, frothingand violent boiling of the diluted mixture is highly undesirable because it causes the diluted I waxy oil to. be forced from the top portion of the chilling tower into the vapor line with a resultant clogging of said line and a'loss of a portion of the oil being treated.

Furthermore, the wax precipitating during the chilling stage usually assembles at the bottom of the chilling tower, and has atendency to clog the opening leading into the discharge line communicating with the wax-separating means.

It is, therefore, the main object-of the present invention to provide a process and apparatus whereby the above disadvantages are removed. 40

It is another object of the invention to provide a method and means to dewax oil without causing any violent boiling of the diluted oil in the chilling step.

It is still another object of the inventionto provide a method and apparatus to dewax oil -without permitting said wax to precipitate out and clogthe discharge line.

Itis still a further object of the invention to provide ,a method andapparatus to cause a regulated agitation of the diluted oil being chilled and at the same time to increase the evaporating surface. I

It has now been discovered that these objects may be accomplished by circulating the diluted oil being chilled. The invention, therefore, broadly stated, resides in a method and apparatus whereby the waxy oil and diluent are agitated in the chilling step so as to cause a more uniform chilling of the mixture in the various zones of the chilling chamber. More specifically stated the invention comprises providing gas-lifting means within the chilling chamber and injecting a normally gaseous hydrocarbon, such as propane or other gases, such as carbon dioxide, ammonia,.

nitrogen, etc., at a regulable rate to provide a jetting or gas-lifting efiect and thus circulating the diluted oil being treated. In its preferred form, the invention further resides in a chilling chamber, means for introducing thereinto a mixture of waxy oil and a liquefied normally gaseous hydrocarbon, such as liquid propane, a pipe vertically aligned within the chamber, and open at both ends so that the upper end is above the liquid level, a vapor line leading from the upper end of the chamber, a line leading the chilled mixture from the lower end of the chamber to the wax removing means and a line for conducting liquefled but normally gaseous hydrocarbons into the lower portion of the above described vertically aligned tube. It is obvious that such an introduction of a regulable quantity of a warm liquid propane into the bottom of the tube will cause a jetting r siphoning effect in the tube thus creating a circulation of the diluted oil being treated.

- This permits a more uniform chilling of the mixture, increases the evaporating surface, and at the same time prevents the precipitating wax from settling out and clogging the discharge line from the chilling chamber.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawing, the sole figure on which shows diagrammatically a vertical section through a preferred embodiment oi the present invention: A chilling chamber I0 is provided with a vertical tube ll, positioned axially therein and open at both ends i2 and I3, respectively; The upper end 3 of this tube is provided with baflle plates l4 and I5 which receive the overflow from the tube. Line I 6 leads into the chilling chamber and is adapted to conduct thereinto the mixture of waxy oil and liquefied normally gaseous hydrocarbons. This line is provided with an automatic valve actuable by a float l8 within chamber Ill. This float l8 maintains the liquid level within the chamber constant. Line i6 is also provided with a manually operable valve IS. A vapor line leads from the upper end of chamber Ill and is provided with a valve 2|. Another line 23 leads from the bottom of said chamber, is provided with a valve 24, and is adapted to remove the chilled mass to any wax separating means, not shown in the drawing. This wax separating means may be either a settling tank, a filter press or a centrifuse.

A line 25 leads into the lower open end l2 of the tube ii and is adapted to introduce thereinto the gaseous hydrocarbon or another gas used for the circulation of the diluted oil being treated. Since the rate of introduction of said hydrocarbon, such sides of the diaphragm being connected by lines 29 and 30 respectively to the opposite sides of an orifice plate, or similar restriction, 3| in line 28. It is obvious that'such an arrangement will open valve 28 automatically by opening valve 2| in line 20 and by passing vaporstherethrough. It is also clear that valve 28 may be set to regulate the flow of propane, or other gas used for circulation, through line 25 in relation to the rate of flow of the vapors through line 20.

In operation, the waxy oil and the liquefied but normally gaseous hydrocarbon, such as for example propane, are mixed in the proper proportions, as described hereinabove, and are introduced through pipe I6 into chamber ID, the mixture being maintained under a pressure sufilcient to keep the propane in a liquid state. This introduction is continued until the diluted waxy oil reaches the desired level within the chamber or tower III at which time valve IT on inlet line I6 isautomatically closed by the movement of the float l8. Thereupon valve 2| in vapor line 20' is opened to release the pressure in chamber Hi, the degree of opening of said valve depending on the character of the diluted waxy oil and the rate of chilling desired. The drop in pressure in the upper portion of chamber l0 above the liquid level causes the evaporation of the diluent resulting in the chilling of the liquid mixture. the violent boiling and flashing accompanying the uneven evaporation of the diluent-refrigerant, valve 26 in line 25 is opened manually and propane or a similar normally gaseous hydrocarbon or another gas is injected therethrough into the lower end l2 of tube II. This creates a jetting or gas-lifting eflectthrough tube II, the liquid mass being chilled and the propane introduced through pipe 25 rising through the tube l, discharging out through opening I3, deflecting from baiiie l4 onto bailie l5, and falling back into the liquid in chamber I8. It is clear that such a To prevent circulation of the diluted oil increases the evap- I orating surface, and at the same time tends to chill the mass more equally.

The evaporation of a portion of the diluentrefrigerant during the chilling step naturally lowers the liquid level in the chamber Hi. Therefore, if it is desired to maintain the liquid level constant, valve I9 is .kept open so as to permit float ill to open valve l1 and thus allow the inflow of additional quantities of the diluted waxy oil until the desired level has been attained. However, if such a constant liquid level is not desired, valve I9 is closed and may be maintained so closed during the whole chilling step, as well as during the discharge of the chilled mass through line 23.

As stated previously, the introduction and regulation of the amount oi. propane introduced through pipe 25 may be made manually by regulating the manually operable valve 26. However, the same result may be obtained automatically by the use of valve 28. In such a case valve 26 remains open constantly, the regulation of the inflow of propane into tube I being obtained by the actuation of valve 2| in the vapor discharge line 20. Thus valve 28 in line 25 may be adjusted to close line 25 when there is no flow through vapor line 20, and at the same time to open when such flow begins upon the opening of valve 2|. Such an arrangement is even more preferable to the manual operation of valve 26 in view of the fact that the automatic regulation permits the control of the rate of inflow of propane in relation or proportion to the rate of outflow of the vaporized propane through line 20.

When the mass in chamber III has been chilled to a sufficiently low temperature, which temperature, as stated above, ranges between +l F. and -40 F., valve ii in line and valve 26. in line are closed, and the chilled mass is discharged through line 23 by opening valve it. At

' such a temperature the wax precipitates from the oil being treated so that a subsequent separation of the Wax may be made easily by settling, filtering or centrifuging the chilled mass.

It is to'be understood that the above disclosures are not to be considered as limiting but merely as illustrative of the, generic invention and that many variations may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for chilling oils in order to precipitate matter therefrom, a chilling chamber, means associated with said chamber and adapted to chill said oil, means for injecting a gas into said chamber, and means within said chamber,

associated with the gas-injecting means and adapted to cause the oil being chilled' to circulate within the chamber.

2. In an apparatus for chilling oils in order to precipitate matter therefrom, a chilling chamber, means associated with said chamber and adapted for introducing thereinto a mixture of .waxy oil and of a diluent, means associated with said chamber and adapted to chill the diluted oil thereinto, and gas-lifting means connected with a source of gaseous fluid whereby said gaseous fluid may be introduced into said chamber to agitate the diluted waxy oil being chilled.

3. In an apparatus for dewaxing oil, a chilling chamber, means associated with said chamber and adapted to chill said oil, means for injecting a gas into said chamber, and means within said chamber, associated with the gas-injecting means and adapted to cause the oil being chilled to circulate within the chamber.

4. In an apparatus for dewaxing oil, a chilling chamber, means associated with said chamber and adapted to chill said oil, and means associated with said chamber and adapted to agitate the oil during chilling, said means including means for injecting a gaseous substance into the chamber, and means 'within the chamber and associated with the gas-injecting means and adapted to cause the oil being chilled to circulate within said chamber. I I

5. In an apparatus for dewaxing oil, a chilling chamber, means associated with said chamber and adapted for introducing thereinto a mixture of waxy oil and of a diluent, means associated with said chamber and adapted to chill the diluted oil thereinto, and gas-lifting means connected with a source of gaseous fluid whereby said gaseous fluid may be introduced into said chamber to agitate the diluted waxy oil being chilled.

6. In an apparatus for dewaxing oil, a chilling chamber, an open-ended tube positioned substantially vertically within said chamber, and a pipe I opening into the lower end of said tube and adapted to inject a gaseous substance thereinto.

7. An apparatus for dewaxing oil comprising a chilling chamber, means for introducing the oil to be treated into said chamber, means associated with said chamber and adapted to chill the waxy 011, an open-ended tubepositioned substantially vertically within said chamber, and a pipe opening into the lower end of said tube and adapted to inject a gaseous substance thereinto to agitate the oil in the chamber.

8. An apparatus for dewaxing oil comprising a chilling chamber, means for introducing under pressure into said chamber a mixture of waxy oil and liquefied but normally gaseous hydrocarbon, means associated with said chamber and adapted to reduce the pressure in said chamber and thereby chill the diluted oil therein, an open-ended tube positioned substantially vertically within said chamber, and a pipe opening into the lower end of said tube and adapted to inject a gaseous substance thereinto to agitate the oil during the chilling thereof.

9. In a structure according to claim 8, wherein the pressure reducing means includes a pipe leading from the upper end of the chilling chamber and a manually operable valve in said pipe.

10. An apparatus for dewaxing oil comprising a chilling chamber, means for introducing thereinto under pressure a mixture of oil and liquefied but normally gaseous hydrocarbon, means associated with said chamber and adapted to reduce the pressure in said chamber and thereby chill the diluted oil, an open-ended tube positioned substantially vertically within said chamber, a pipe opening into the lower end of said tube and adapted to inject a gaseous substance thereinto. and means associating, with said pipe and the pressure reducing means and adapted to regulate the rate of gas introduction in relation BLAIR G. ALDRIDGE. 

